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Southwestern Historical Quarterly

these Indians were about to cross into Texas to commit depreda-tions. Rusk forced the Caddo to surrender, and turned theirarms over to their agent in Shreveport. He promised the In-dians that the government of Texas would support them.48 Inhis letter to the Secretary of War on December 1, 1838, Rusk,after describing the above incident, said:I shall proceed with Col. McLeod to Red River in the morningwhere I hope to be able to raise a sufficient force to proceed atonce to the Three Forks of the Trinity. In the meantime it isimportant to urge upon Congress the necessity of .making per-manent arrangements for the defense of the frontiers. It willnot do to depend upon the Militia for that purpose unless the lawsregulating them are made much more rigid than at present.4"III. TREATY NEGOTIATIONSHouston believed firmly in the expediency and justice of nego-tiating treaties with the Indians, and did all in his power tomake the establishment of friendly relations with the tribes, thevital policy of his administration. In order to appoint commis-sioners, and make treaties, however, he was obliged to have "theadvice and consent of two-thirds of the senate," so that he wasnot able to execute all his plans.0 On November 9, 1836, thepresident sent a message to the senate nominating certain com-missioners to treat with the Indians. He said that informationhad been received that large bodies of Indians had assembled onthe Trinity and were desirous of forming treaties of peace withthe government. "I cannot too forcibly recommend the adoptionof any means which will attach them to us, nor too seriously im-press upon you the policy of drawing them to us by chords offriendship by means of treaties and of Commerce.'"51 One of thepresident's nominees was rejected by the senate, so on November10, he sent two other names for their approval. Again the senate"Ibid.; Yoakum, History of Texas, II, 260."Manuscript: Thomas J. Rusk, to the Secretary of War, December 1,1838. Indian Affairs, Texas State Library. Rusk's further movementsin this expedition cannot be traced with the sources at hand.OGammel, Laws of Texas, I, 1076, Constitution of the Republic, ArticleVI, Section 5."Winkler (editor), Secret Journals of the Senate, 1 Congress, 1 Ses-sion, 19.